New Navy Rules Give Skirts, Heels Heave-ho

WASHINGTON — As the Navy prepares to open its warships to women early next year, it is also planning to bar women from wearing skirts and high heels while serving in the fleet.

Under current Navy regulations, captains can allow female officers and senior enlisted sailors to wear skirts and high heels while standing watch or during arrivals and departures from port.

But under the revised rules, skirts and high heels will be banned aboard ships, except for a few special, formal events.

Chief Petty Officer Julie Ybarra said Monday that the change was triggered by safety concerns and embarrassment from some of the 8,000 women serving aboard many of the Navy's noncombat vessels.

The Navy Uniform Board agreed with their concerns, and Adm. Frank Kelso, the chief of naval operations, recently approved the change, which is to take effect by March.

Congress recently lifted a ban on women serving aboard warships. Starting next year, women will be assigned to aircraft carriers, destroyers and other Navy vessels that could be involved in combat. Until now, women have been restricted to serving aboard support vessels, such as oilers and supply ships.

Navy officials said safety - and not the expanding opportunities for women in the Navy - triggered the change.

But others believe the Tailhook scandal may figure in the revamped dress code.

Lawrence Korb, a former Navy officer and top Defense Department official during the Reagan administration, believes there's more to the order than safety concerns.

''I think it's due much more to the post-Tailhook climate,'' Korb said, referring to harassment and fondling of dozens of women by Navy aviators at a 1991 convention. ''The Navy's so sensitive to these things that they decided to get rid of (the skirt option) because of all their (gender-related) problems.''